Florida Representative Proposes Bill To Monitor DUI Offenders

After about 2,200 DUI arrests were made in Alachua County over the past two years, Florida Representative Cord Byrd is proposing a new bill to monitor driving for first-time offenders.

The proposed legislation would require first-time DUI offenders to install an ignition interlock device in their vehicles. Drivers must blow into this device to measure breath alcohol content in order for the car to start.

Ignition interlock devices are currently required for second-time DUI offenders and offenders are typically mandated to use them for six months, costing them $50 to $100 each month.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving chairperson Mary Kelley is in favor of the legislation and said ignition interlocks can prevent drunk drivers from hurting people.

Others, like Daniella Fragnito, are worried that the device will not be enough to stop drunk drivers.

“There’s always going to be people that outsmart it,” said Fragnito, a friend of a victim of drunk driving. “There’s always going to be that person, that alcoholic, someone who has to get behind the wheel when they’re drunk who’s going to find their way around it.”

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peter007

More senseless overkill. What is the probability of getting into a serious accident if you don’t drink and drive. For me, its about 1 in 200,000. For others, it might be 1 in 10,000. If I have two drinks, the probability would still be about 1 in 175,000. The fact that this town gave out 2200 DWI tickets tells me that there were probably 50,000 instances of people drinking and driving and yet there were very few (20) cases of accidents due to DWI. Zero tolerance usually causes more harm with it’s enforcement that with the problem it purports to solve. It’s always a cost benefit issue..